Conquer Cravings with These Healthy Substitutions

We have all experienced food cravings – 和 often those cravings have to do with texture, like something creamy or crunchy.

Food textures play a big role in whether we like or dislike certain foods. 例如, while you may not like mushy canned peas, you may be surprised to realize that you like fresh or barely cooked peas.

Luckily, eating healthy includes foods of all sorts of textures 和 flavors. Here are some suggestions on satisfying your cravings with nutritious snacks of a variety of textures:

奶油

而不是这样: While ice cream may come to mind first, there are a variety of other smooth snacks that can be just as satisfying.

试着咀嚼这个:

• 新鲜的 avocado spread on whole grain bread OR ½ avocado eaten plain with a spoon.
• Warm 1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter in the microwave for 10 seconds 和 drizzle over ½ cup low-fat, 无添加糖的冷冻酸奶.
• Puree some berries 和 swirl them into a cup of low-fat yogurt with no sugar added.

脆脆的

而不是这样: Pretzels 和 chips have a crunchy texture that you may crave, but they can come with a lot of extra sodium that you don’t need.

试着咀嚼这个:

• ¾ cup whole grain cereal, no added sugar
• 松脆的无盐坚果
• 全谷物脆面包
• Plain popcorn; to add some flavor, experiment with various spices such as cinnamon or your favorite spice or herb.

液体

而不是这样: Sweet tea or soda may sound refreshing, but it can take a while to work off all those empty calories. A medium-sized fancy mocha coffee drink with whipped cream can be 400 calories, 和 that’s before adding sugar or honey.
试着啜饮一下:

• Plain iced tea made with a squeeze of lemon. You can sweeten it with berries or a noncaloric sweetener.
• Add fruit slices to a glass 和 fill with sparkling water or club soda.
• Instead of the fancy mocha drink, choose a small latte made with nonfat milk 和 topped with cinnamon, which is about a quarter of the calories. 

湿软的

I而不是这样: Jelly-like c和ies or even kids’ “fruit” snacks might sound like squishy fun in your mouth, but other options pack more nutrition.
试着咀嚼这个:

• 新鲜的 grapes are sweet 和 juicy; freeze them for a few minutes for a fun texture.
• Make tapioca pudding with squishy tapioca pearls; follow the directions on the box. Use only half the amount of sugar or a noncaloric sweetener 和 fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk.
• Cherry tomatoes 和 room-temperature string cheese are squishy, stringy fun.

脆皮

而不是这样: 新鲜的, hot French fries may have the crispy texture that you may crave, but they can come with a lot of extra sodium, saturated fat 和 calories that you don’t need.

试着咀嚼这个:

• Choose small red or white potatoes 和 cut them in half, 加入少许橄榄油搅拌, sprinkle with your favorite herbs 和 roast in the oven or cook in an air fryer.
• Eat a crisp apple, such as a Braeburn, Honey Crisp, Fuji or Gala.
• Enjoy some fresh, vegetable sticks such as carrots, celery, or peppers.